Happy New Year! And happy birthday to me! I’m so behind on posting this blog update that I drafted in January. *facepalm*
I finished the first draft of my second book just before the new year and I was elated. But now I’m in the throes of editing and I’m feeling the pressure. I also have an editor secured for mid-February and I’m so nervous! I can’t wait to reveal my cover and start promoting book 2 in the When You Weren’t Looking Series. I’m hoping to publish no later than May.
I haven’t settled on my word for the year yet. You know something like Commitment or Consistency or Focus? How about Marketing? I think that’s a perfect word! Because my marketing needs some WORK!
I listened to an audiobook a couple of weeks ago and one of the characters essentially paraphrased the quote by George R.R. Martin, “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one,” from A Dance with Dragons. With as many books as I’ve read, I think I can attest to that fact and I believe it’s made me more understanding and culturally aware. I’ve also fallen in love that many times too, because I primarily read romance. I love reading about other cultures and ethnicities. But this year, I have made a mental commitment to read/listen to books by diverse authors on a more even rotation, especially supporting more Black Authors. One of the reasons that prompted me to dip my toe in the world of romance fiction was to add some more diversity in the world of RomComs. I felt like I was reading the same characters over and over and none of them represented me and my friends and the good times we had. I had a desire to also read about book boyfriends that looked and sounded like part of the world I live in. My primary goal when reading is to get lost in a good story but being able to relate to the characters on a cultural level sometimes adds a deeper level of connection and sometimes enjoyment and even hope? Does anyone else agree?
Another goal for this year is to read more books on craft to help me better craft my stories. (See what I did there? *wink emoji*) While I want to write light-hearted RomComs that make you feel all lovey-dovey, I recognize that the characters still need to be relatable and show a spectrum of emotions and growth. There’s so much more that goes into a well written RomCom than just swoony or funny moments. I want my stories to bring enjoyment but also bring a bit of realism and relativity. Diving deeper into books about the craft of writing about emotion and conflict will hopefully convey in the stories I have yet to write and for readers to fall in love with. I’m hoping to go on at least one writers’ retreat this year as well. Learning by doing from other authors is definitely even more beneficial for me than just reading and interpreting it all for myself.
Despite the dumpster fire that seems to be happening in the country and around the world, I still have some excitement and hope for this year. What are your goals and hopes for 2026? Other than reading my second novel…and possibly my third? *winky face*
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